My son and I have fished the Blue in Tish, OK area for about 4 years now. He's 13 and it's provided some great (occasionally freakin cold) memories. This year we're going up for the trout derby in mid-Feb...weather permitting.
Have you ever fished the Blue during the Derby? With stocked bigger trout like that, should i treat them similar to a stocked bow that's just smaller with regards to them needing time to adjust to their environment before knowing what to actually eat?
We were planning on using streamers when possible, but have done a ton of beaded nymphs like GBHE tandem with a smaller non-beaded, different color nymph 18" below it....all under a strike indicator.
Thought on that same approach with the stocked larger bows? Possibly step up the size of our nymphs and streamers?
Thanks in advance....tight lines to all and to all a line tight.

Think of Black Friday or a video game release. Elbow to elbow angling. Fly casting can be a bit tough with such close quarters. Of course your experience might be different But I would recommend waiting until it's over and then heading up.

I agree with Robin on that. I'm surprised those trout can even swim without snagging themselves on all the hooks in the water. I try to avoid the Derby like the plague. There are nearly always some of the big trout left after the derby is over.

Larry

As much as I didn�t want to hear that, i�m glad you said it. Thanks.

They are right on that for sure they have been loading the river with fish. A lot of people will use their �hall pass� on the derby. That following week crowds will be way down. Also the fish that were not eating after stocking will be on the feed. Especially with your son I think you all would be well advised to heed that warning.

If you go know how to remove a hook lol

Thanks Robert. At first, I thought that was Hughes Crossing. Regardless, I get the point. I pitched it to my son and he's coming around to the idea of going up the week after. Pops is driving up from Houston with the RV, so it needs to be enjoyable for all. He just got into fly fishing and I helped him catch his first couple bows there at the blue in mid November.
Can I get your, and anyone else's take on popular flies, for a say a 4 lb trout that was stocked a week earlier?

Olive woolly buggers, pink frenchies, blue midges, tan mop flies.

When I was living in Texas I would make it a point to fish the Blue River several days and the weekend AFTER the Derby ...good times!!!

Since you fly fish why not wait until the "one fly" tournament March 3rd I think. Most of the Derby is bait fishing.

opening day of keep season in Missouri but yes I think y�all will have a great time that week after if schedules work out for sure. Smurfs named some good flys as well

We tie our own flies, for the most part and are always looking to learn new patterns, so thanks again guys. I hadn�t looked into that March one fly tournament Turf. Thanks for the recommendation. Both boys have a birthday then which would be fun. We may be in E Tx chasing the sandies, but we�ll see.
I was actually already tying olive buggers this morning. Just bought some peacock heel and looking to incorporate that into some flies as well. Maybe as a head on a midge. Anyway, thx again.

A few years ago I had tied up a bunch of Cap Spiders to use on Caddo Lake. Looking at them, I couldn't see why they wouldn't also work on trout, perhaps with the rubber legs trimmed back quite a bit. I hiked up to the catch and release area on Blue and decided to put my theory to the test. I was also fishing a very soft, slow action Japanese 3 weight fiberglass rod that day. I hooked several trout of 18-20" and would have a pretty good fight for about 10-15 seconds, then the fish was gone. At first I just thought they had somehow shook loose the hook. I finally looked at the hook and it had been almost straightened out after 3 or 4 of those large trout. I had tied the Cap Spiders on 1/80 and 1/100 oz. jigs and the bronze wire hooks were just too thin. I ordered some more jigs of the same size with a thicker and stiffer hook, but for some reason I just never have tied any more Cap Spiders.

Larry

Thanks for the feedback Larry.

Fished the Blue yesterday. Took all morning to catch a limit, throwing flies, in-line spinners and jigs. After catching my keepers on spinning tackle I broke out the fly rod and waded knee deep. Did not get any hits with the fly rod and after about an hour in the water the legs started getting numb from the cold. Overall a good day, albeit with a very cold morning (temp on car said 26 degrees when I arrived). Three of the keepers will be dinner tonight.